We had a cleansing time with the girls today. It started with a big ordeal around Joaninina. She stole some money from Papa and when she returned to the girls house, very grumpy, they had a few carefully chosen words to say, not straight forward cutting words, but subtle cutting words. Joaninina was very clever tough and knows well what they were doing. She packed her things and went to tell Papa she was leaving. That’s when I came home from Dauce’s soccer game. I began dealing with her and realized that it was not her but demons again. I decided to lock her up in my room again. She didn’t take to kindly to it and it took 4 big boys and girls to carry her there with her kicking and biting and saying horrible things that I was happy I couldn’t understand.
This can be quite exhausting but I believe the Lord has given me wisdom and with it grace to deal with it. You see, I have hope for this little girl because she is in God’s hands.
She stayed in my room standing stubbornly by the door while I did my dishes. Soon she got tired and sat on the floor. Then she asked me why one of the girls spoke cutting words to her. That’s when I gathered the other girls and began to deal with them while she was in my house.
I was able to give them some tools to deal with her and also impart my hope for her. She is a gift to us, exposing our hearts, allowing God to deal with our motives and teach us how to love our enemies. They were very receptive and our evening was amazing. Some of the girls played and danced with Joaninina and teased her without provoking. She was in heaven and so was I.
I am sure there is much more work to be done but today was a breakthrough day at the girls’ home.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
June 24th 2009
It is only noon and I am exhausted. I am trying to rest but all my joints hurt.
This is how my last night and day has gone so far… I had some guests from Germany staying the night preparing to fly out of Beira today. Jonanina decided to allow the demons that have ruled her short life to create havoc among the girls as I ate with my guests. She pits the girls against each other telling lies. I heard yelling and came to investigate. Long story short she slept on my floor locked in my house last night. She tried to run but our guard caught her.
Early this morning I got a message from John, an American man running an orphanage across the road, that the Mozambican pastor who has faithfully worked with him for 15 years was killed along with his wife as he was in an intersection on his motorcycle. A Taxi van just ran through the light killing others on bikes also. It was devastating. He was also my friend. I went over right away to visit John, locking Joaninia in my house.
When I returned she seemed ok so I let her come out for morning prayer. After prayer Julia and I talked with her about what had happened the night before. She was still in it, talking about running away. I decided to bring her back to my house until she was reasonably sane. She began to fight, kicking and biting. I think that is some of the problem with my joints. I ended up hitting her and she settled down and allowed us to get her into the house. It was terrible. She stood stubbornly by the door. I went to visit Greg and pray with him. I also called all the girls to fast during lunch and pray for her. They all agreed.
When I came back to the house she was reading an illustrated Bible at the table. I just lay down on the bed and rested. Soon she turned to me with tears running down her chubby cheeks and said, “I’m sorry mom.” I got her something to eat and we talked about what Jesus did for her in giving up his life so she could live. She listened softly. I asked her if there was anyone else she would like to apologize to. She said the names of the 5 girls that she had offended the night before. I brought them into my house and she told them each she was sorry and they hugged. We prayed together and that was that… We had our Joaninia back. She made 2 mud dolls with babies on their backs and dressed them in fabric for the 2 German girls that were on their way to the airport; art therapy at work in a real raw way. Often she comes to me after a confrontation and asks for paper to draw on.
She is changing but sometimes she falls into the old ways. When she says she wants to run I ask her where she would go. She has no answer now. She must make it here. She must be a part of our family to survive.
Later this evening hanging out in the living room with the girls doing various things you would never know we had had such a morning. I played UNO with Celia, Joaninia and her little sister Enes, laughing and high fiving through wins and losses. Before bed we all bounced around hugging each other after prayer. I am not so exhausted now. I am blessed.
This is how my last night and day has gone so far… I had some guests from Germany staying the night preparing to fly out of Beira today. Jonanina decided to allow the demons that have ruled her short life to create havoc among the girls as I ate with my guests. She pits the girls against each other telling lies. I heard yelling and came to investigate. Long story short she slept on my floor locked in my house last night. She tried to run but our guard caught her.
Early this morning I got a message from John, an American man running an orphanage across the road, that the Mozambican pastor who has faithfully worked with him for 15 years was killed along with his wife as he was in an intersection on his motorcycle. A Taxi van just ran through the light killing others on bikes also. It was devastating. He was also my friend. I went over right away to visit John, locking Joaninia in my house.
When I returned she seemed ok so I let her come out for morning prayer. After prayer Julia and I talked with her about what had happened the night before. She was still in it, talking about running away. I decided to bring her back to my house until she was reasonably sane. She began to fight, kicking and biting. I think that is some of the problem with my joints. I ended up hitting her and she settled down and allowed us to get her into the house. It was terrible. She stood stubbornly by the door. I went to visit Greg and pray with him. I also called all the girls to fast during lunch and pray for her. They all agreed.
When I came back to the house she was reading an illustrated Bible at the table. I just lay down on the bed and rested. Soon she turned to me with tears running down her chubby cheeks and said, “I’m sorry mom.” I got her something to eat and we talked about what Jesus did for her in giving up his life so she could live. She listened softly. I asked her if there was anyone else she would like to apologize to. She said the names of the 5 girls that she had offended the night before. I brought them into my house and she told them each she was sorry and they hugged. We prayed together and that was that… We had our Joaninia back. She made 2 mud dolls with babies on their backs and dressed them in fabric for the 2 German girls that were on their way to the airport; art therapy at work in a real raw way. Often she comes to me after a confrontation and asks for paper to draw on.
She is changing but sometimes she falls into the old ways. When she says she wants to run I ask her where she would go. She has no answer now. She must make it here. She must be a part of our family to survive.
Later this evening hanging out in the living room with the girls doing various things you would never know we had had such a morning. I played UNO with Celia, Joaninia and her little sister Enes, laughing and high fiving through wins and losses. Before bed we all bounced around hugging each other after prayer. I am not so exhausted now. I am blessed.
AIDS and a Little Girl
Here at the local AIDS clinic I wait to enroll 11 year old Joninia into their program. I just saw the test result, positive. Uncontrollable tears flowed freely. Joninia’s eyes were wet with deep sorrow. She understood some but I don’t think all of the ramifications were grasped.
Joninia came to our home 2 years ago as stubborn and rebellious as a rock. She has demons and a times the win the battle for her soul. I loved her freely, hugging her was like hugging a tree.
We have lost count of the times she has run away. Everytime she runs she steals things from the other girls. It is tiring for them but every time she returns they welcome her with understanding and love. This last time she was gone a long time. We did not go after her as we had the other times hoping she would choose on her own to come home. She came, covered with scabies and bleeding after a miscarriage.
Both of her parents were witch doctors; evil people do not show proper affection to children. She had never been hugged or shown any kind of tenderness – only strife and cruelty.
I held her; I told her that I would take care of her. God has a plan for her.
She stands next to me singing praise to God. When I look at her she smiles at me. She has hope.
On the other side of me is a young woman, frail with AIDS, no shoes, supporting what little weight she has with a stick. She can not smile. There is no hope in her eyes. What has happened to the plan God had for her life?
The girls back home have seen and now it will hit them hard that the world outside our home is harsh. We had another girl named Dominga. She too, tested positive. She kept running away. She came to visit some times but stayed away. The last time we saw her she was very sick. We have not seen her for a long time now and I suspect that she is dead. She was a precious lamb. I am sure she is with the Great Shepherd.
Joninia came to our home 2 years ago as stubborn and rebellious as a rock. She has demons and a times the win the battle for her soul. I loved her freely, hugging her was like hugging a tree.
We have lost count of the times she has run away. Everytime she runs she steals things from the other girls. It is tiring for them but every time she returns they welcome her with understanding and love. This last time she was gone a long time. We did not go after her as we had the other times hoping she would choose on her own to come home. She came, covered with scabies and bleeding after a miscarriage.
Both of her parents were witch doctors; evil people do not show proper affection to children. She had never been hugged or shown any kind of tenderness – only strife and cruelty.
I held her; I told her that I would take care of her. God has a plan for her.
She stands next to me singing praise to God. When I look at her she smiles at me. She has hope.
On the other side of me is a young woman, frail with AIDS, no shoes, supporting what little weight she has with a stick. She can not smile. There is no hope in her eyes. What has happened to the plan God had for her life?
The girls back home have seen and now it will hit them hard that the world outside our home is harsh. We had another girl named Dominga. She too, tested positive. She kept running away. She came to visit some times but stayed away. The last time we saw her she was very sick. We have not seen her for a long time now and I suspect that she is dead. She was a precious lamb. I am sure she is with the Great Shepherd.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Nuns of orphans?
Sometimes I get accused of running a catholic nunnery here. I would like to defend myself a bit if I may…
Many of my girls have suffered sexual abuse here. One of my girls has suffered many rapes from many men resulting in a pregnancy and an HIV positive test; she is 11. Dealing with such things, yes I tend to be a bit overprotective at times. I don’t think the girls mind. In fact, I told the older girls one time what the men who wanted them for wives would have to go through to put a ring on their finger. We laughed when mama explained the gamut they would have to come through, first thing being an AIDS test. When I finished I mentioned that maybe they would never get married and they all said in unsent, “That’s ok mama!”
I am not a man hater. I have some wonderful sons from birth and some wonderful sons here in Moz. I work side by side with wonderful men here and I don’t think they would call me a man hater. I am teaching the children I have here to look at the opposite sex with caution and respect, to see them as brothers and sisters. They are learning a different kind of love here, God’s love. His love is pure and simple and full of peaceable joy, not joy with guilt. The words, “I love you” take on a whole other meaning, one that reaches deep into your soul. I pray for them that when they do marry that it is God’s love that stirs their hearts, not just petty lust. It is God’s love that will keep them through all the temptations and trials here.
Many of my girls have suffered sexual abuse here. One of my girls has suffered many rapes from many men resulting in a pregnancy and an HIV positive test; she is 11. Dealing with such things, yes I tend to be a bit overprotective at times. I don’t think the girls mind. In fact, I told the older girls one time what the men who wanted them for wives would have to go through to put a ring on their finger. We laughed when mama explained the gamut they would have to come through, first thing being an AIDS test. When I finished I mentioned that maybe they would never get married and they all said in unsent, “That’s ok mama!”
I am not a man hater. I have some wonderful sons from birth and some wonderful sons here in Moz. I work side by side with wonderful men here and I don’t think they would call me a man hater. I am teaching the children I have here to look at the opposite sex with caution and respect, to see them as brothers and sisters. They are learning a different kind of love here, God’s love. His love is pure and simple and full of peaceable joy, not joy with guilt. The words, “I love you” take on a whole other meaning, one that reaches deep into your soul. I pray for them that when they do marry that it is God’s love that stirs their hearts, not just petty lust. It is God’s love that will keep them through all the temptations and trials here.
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